West Michigan E. coli cases linked to local cow-share program

Friday

May 16, 2014 at 11:58 AMMay 16, 2014 at 11:58 AM

Two cases of E. coli in West Michigan have been traced back to consumption of raw milk products from an Ottawa County cow-share program.In March, a 31-year-old Muskegon County woman became ill after drinking raw milk, and in April, a 6-year-old-child from Kent County became ill after possible consumption of a raw milk product, according to a news release sent by the Ottawa Department of Public Health.Raw, unpasteurized milk comes directly from an animal’s udders, carrying a much higher risk of causing serious illness than pasteurized milk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that unpasteurized milk — milk that has not been heated up to kill harmful bacteria — is 150 times more likely to cause foodborne illness, and results in 13 times more hospitalizations than illnesses involving pasteurized dairy products.Proponents of drinking raw milk believe it is more nutritious, citing the benefits of “good bacteria.” However, pasteurization does not significantly change the nutritional value of milk, and, due to the risk of serious illness, there are far safer sources of good bacteria than raw milk, the release said. Pasteurized probiotic yogurts, kefir and other products are a great source of probiotics.Due to the health risk of consuming raw milk, it is not legal to sell raw milk or raw milk products in Michigan. Because of these laws, raw milk is obtained through herd-share programs. In a herd-share program, consumers purchase a share of a cow and, as the owner of the cow, are provided raw milk from the farmer. These herd-share dairy programs are not licensed nor inspected by state or local agencies.If you become ill in the days following consumption of a raw milk product, seek medical attention. Symptoms of illness include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, along with fever, headache and body ache. Pregnant women, infants, small children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses should never consume raw milk products.For information: cdc.gov/features/rawmilk.